Children in North America

 by Anne-Marie Mangal

Right here in North America, believe it or not, children are fighting for their lives! They are fighting with things such as: abuse, troubled homes, and obesity.
    The first problem is abuse. Countries such as Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador are those countries where abuse is an everyday thing that children endure. In these countries children are subject to environments filled with violence, drugs, trafficking, and gang activity. This negative environment then leads them to feel forced to migrate-at their own risk-across the U.S. Mexican Border. This brings us to problem 2.
    The influx of unaccompanied children at the border has been increasing rapidly over the years. In 2013 alone, around 40,000 children were caught trying to cross the border illegally. In 2014 the numbers have increased to over 52,000 children who are trying to run from the daunting miasma they live in.
    Now on top of that, in North America, children are facing the spreading disease of Obesity. Statistics show that 23 million kids and teens are either overweight or obese, as the U.S. is ranked at #18 with an obesity rate of 33% on the big charts. This alarming health issue brings forth problems such as health care costs going up and the success rate of a child’s future going down.
    However there are good Samaritans in the world like the United Nations and NGO’s. Unicef for one has partnered with the UN to fix the issue of abuse and the border saturation. Campaigns like “Let’s Move” and the National Child Measurement Program are working to help reduce obesity. Even the Canadian Health Care System is looked at heavily as a potential resolution to the spreading issue of obesity.
    In a nut shell, especially in North America, it is our duty as a nation to help our children that are caught in the hands of these adversities. So that one day they can instead experience a wonderful, worth wild, and fulfilling life.

Womens Rights in Latin America

by Lamia Khan

   Columbia: August 13 2009, Maria Cuervo was  just walking outside when a complete stranger shouted to her “This is so you don’t think you are pretty and then proceeded to throw acid on her entire face, changing her life in an instant.

      Put yourself in Marias shoes and try to comprehend the daily challenges of women in Latin America face. In a world where cloning exists, and pictures can be uploaded onto a blog from an smartphone just like that, women’s rights have still not been intact and are nowhere near substantiation.

     Acid attacks have been starting to get very common in Columbia.  A jealous boyfriend or controlling husband can throw acid on their wives to keep them “in their place” This acid melts the skin, removing parts of the entire face like the nose and very commonly blinding as well.

     Though legislation passed a law to punish criminals for these happenings, only 3 culprits have been captured. 3 out of 996 attacks recorded. In 2010, the NGO called Human Rights Organizations also known as MADRE was created to be a site for battered women. Though that is an improvement; MADRE received many death threats for electing women into their organization, specifically Afro-descendants who are solemnly just defending their rights.

      So lets rise, lets rise for these women who cannot speak up. Lets rise for the women who every time walks out of her house will have faces staring at her, children pointing and feeling helpless her entire life.